Capture the Moment!
Since 2013, I’ve published hundreds of blog posts on all aspects of photography. Some are aimed at helping photographers with their technique, settings, and equipment, but others describe my exhibitions, workshops, and adventures in Africa, Antarctica, and beyond.
Feel free to browse chronologically or click on the category heading above any post for specific content, such as Equipment, Trips or Hints and Tips.
If you’d like to write a guest post, please drop me a line at nick@nickdalephotography.com or on +44 7942 800921.
(Please note that some posts may contain affiliate links from which I can earn a small commission.)
Twelve secrets to winning wildlife photography competitions
If you’re a wildlife photographer, but you’ve never won a wildlife photography competition, here are a few trade secrets to help you break your duck!
Head-to-head: Bear Gills v Bear Necessities
This is the first of a series of head-to-head photo critiques that compare two similar wildlife shots I’ve taken in the last few years.
The idea is to show you first of all that nobody’s perfect (!) and also to help you identify problems in your own shots that you can then fix - either in camera or during post-processing.
Low key portraits
Wildlife shots are ten a penny these days, so how do you make yours stand out from the herd? Well, one thing you can experiment with is low key portraits. All you need to do is underexpose the shot (either in camera or in Lightroom – see sections below), and you’ll create a whole new atmosphere, something that’s either moody, mysterious or threatening – whatever works best.
African buffalo facts
The African buffalo is so dangerous that it’s been called ‘Black Death’, and it’s responsible for killing around 200 people a year in Africa. The fact that it’s so dangerous is one of the reasons why trophy hunters added it to the list of the Big Five, alongside the lion, leopard, elephant and rhino.
Extreme photography
In the quest to help people improve their photography, I’ve written various blog posts, including one on the rules of composition and another on how to stand out from the herd.
Today, I’m going to try a different approach - what I call ‘extreme photography’.
Zoo photography
If you’re a wildlife photographer, zoos and safari parks can be a cheap and cheerful alternative to going on a long-haul destination such as the Masai Mara.
Photo trip history
From Alaska to Australia, from Svalbard to Antarctica, I’ve taken pictures in 26 countries on all seven continents. Phew…!
I thought it might be fun to show you this map and give you a potted history of my photographic trips since I turned professional in 2013, together with my favourite images from each one.
Nikon D880 or Nikon Z9?
I bet against England winning Euro 2020, and I won enough money to buy a new camera - but which one?
Up until recently, I just assumed it would be the latest DSLR in Nikon’s range, which is likely to be named the D880, but now I’m not so sure.
I hate photography exhibitions!
Why do photographers do what we do? I guess the same motivation applies with any profession: we want to make money, win recognition and do something we enjoy. Every now and again, though, I’m taken by surprise when someone has a very different idea of what it’s all about.
Free Lightroom presets
Presets save you an awful lot of work in Lightroom. You can do what I do and create them yourself for your most common edits, or you can download them from the internet.
Some are free, and some you have to pay for. Here is a list of various websites offering free Lightroom presets.
How to improve your photography
When it comes to golf and photography, I’m largely self-taught.
Photography is quite a lonely profession, so I thought I should write down how I’ve learned and improved as a photographer in order to help anyone out there who wants to do the same.
Exit, pursued by a bear
‘Exit, pursued by a bear’ is the most famous stage direction in theatrical history. It comes in Act III of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, and I know exactly how Antigonus felt…!
I had my very own close encounter with a bear when I went to Brooks Falls in Alaska in July 2015.
What to do with your photos
So you’ve taken thousands of photos, and they’re all sitting on your hard drive, but what are you going to do with them?
That’s the question I’m going to try and answer in this article.
Photography competitions
I’ve now won enough competitions to be able to call myself an ‘international award-winning photographer’, but it’s a bit of a fool’s errand. The only one anyone ever seems to have heard of is the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition run by the Natural History Museum, but it receives 50,000 entries a year from over 100 countries and only displays the top 100 images in its annual exhibition.
How to choose a photographic trip
I’ve been on plenty of photographic trips, but I’m quite picky about the companies I use.
In this article, I’ll provide a few different perspectives on how to choose a photographic trip that’s right for you.
Tips for setting up your Nikon DSLR
I see a lot of ‘unboxing’ videos on social media - as if taking something out of a box required some sort of special skill…!
This article doesn’t involve any cardboard boxes, but it does tell you a few neat tricks to customise your Nikon camera.
Photography gifts
What do you give the photographer who has everything…?
Well, photography equipment can be very expensive, but here are a few ideas for all budgets.
Lens head-to-head: Canon v Nikon v Sony
This article considers mid-range zooms, lenses that I’d consider to be your ‘workhorse’.
For wildlife photography, I’d recommend getting a long lens that is at least 400mm, and these three are roughly equivalent, depending on whether you have a Canon, Nikon or Sony camera body.
Camera head-to-head: Canon v Nikon v Sony
Canon, Nikon and Sony are the three premier brands in photography equipment. I opted for Nikon, and I’ve been regretting it ever since!
No, not really, but I’m sick to death of the low frame rates. My D850 only manages 7 fps, and even with a battery pack it’s only 9 fps, which is pitiful compared to the 20 fps offered by the top-of-the-line Canon and Sony cameras.
Predators and Prey - A Wildlife Photography Talk
I gave an online slideshow and talk to Putney WI on Monday 19 July 2021, and it went down so well that I thought I’d record it and publish it here. Enjoy…